Apparatus for cleaning and applying dressing to bowling lanes



Aug. 6, 1963 v. UNTERBRINK T0 BOWLING LANES APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AND APPLYING DRESSING Filed March 21,. 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet l ITZE-TTZSE' VICTOR UNTERBRINK Aug. 6, 1963 v. UNTERBRINK 3,099,851

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AND APPLYING DRESSING TO BOWLING LANES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 21, 1962 JTZZEZT 2::

VICTOR UNTERBRINK Aug. 6, 1963 V. UNTERBRINK v APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AND APPLYING DRESSING TO BOWLING LANES 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 21, 1962 Exam mar VICTOR UNTERBRINK EZT.

Aug. 6, 1963 v. UNTERBRINK 3,099,851

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AND APPLYING DRESSING T0 BOWLING LANES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 21, 1962 VICTOR UNTERBRINK United States Patent G 3,099,851 Patented Aug. 6, 1963 3,099,851 APPARATUS FOR CLEANENG AND APPLYING DRESSING T BUWLING LANES Victor Unterbrink, Ottawa, Ghio, assignor to Pines Engineering Co., Inc, Aurora, iii a corporation of Illinois Filed Mar. 21, 1962, Ser. No. 181,254 9 Claims. (Cl- 15-50) The present invention relates to improvements in apparatus for cleaning and applying dressing to a floor surface and is more particularly concerned with the novel construction, assembly and mode of operation of self propelled apparatus designed to initially wipe clean and to then apply dressing to the surface of a bowling lane or the :like uniformly and over selected areas thereof.

Bowling lanes in particular are difiicult to clean and then dress because of the need to avoid the build-up of excessive quantities of lane dressing in any area or areas thereof and further because it is desirable that all lanes in a series be dressed the same so as to make them uniformly responsive to a bowling ball advanced therealong. Heretofore, bowling lanes have been swept manually and by machine sweepers and then a fine coating of lubricating oil or other dressing, liquid or viscous, has been applied to the surface as by spraying. Spraying has been most unsatisfactory primarily because the spray cannot be applied evenly over the entire surface of a :lane, to say nothing about a series of lanes, and further, sprayed dressing material is deposited in the gutters, in the ballreturn tracks, on the foul line and even over areas of the approach surface. This latter results in the player slipping during delivery of a ball, Whereas dressing deposited in the gutters and ball-return tracks accumulates on the ball surface and in the finger holes of the ball and results in finger slippage. Uneven application of lane dressing resulting in excessive accumulation of same on certain lane areas creates a sticky condition on the lane. Furthermore, an excessive build-up of dressing is gradually worn away only where the ball travels thereby making a groove for the ball and decreasing player control.

In accordance with the present invention, novel means and apparatus is provided for cleaning the surface of the bowling lane in advance of the application of lane dressing which which is applied uniformly over the entire length of the lane Without material loss and without the deposit of any dressing in the gutters or on the ball return tracks. The apparatus, which is self-propelled, functions to stop short of the foul line so as to avoid any likelihood of lane dressing being deposited thereon and subsequently picked up by the shoe of the bowler who may touch the foul line or pass slightly beyond same.

These advantages are attained by cont-rolled delivery of the lane dressing to a power operated applicator which follows closely behind novel means for cleaning the lane of all foreign matter, including a previously applied lane dressing. The apparatus herein disclosed is self-propelled and it has the advantage of applying the dressing directly onto the surface of the lane in such manner that there is no possibility of any of the dressing being deposited in the gutters or on the ball return tracks. Further, the apparatus of this invention functions to automatically stop the application of dressing on a lane surface at a predetermined distance short of the foul line.

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide an apparatus having the foregoing advantages.

Another object is to provide a self-propelled apparatus of the character referred to which is entirely automatic in its operation and is under complete control of the operator at all times.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a single apparatus novel means to remove previously applied dressing and dirt from the surface of a bowling lane and to apply a fresh layer of dressing onto the surface immediately after it has been so cleaned.

Another object is to provide a rugged, power-operated apparatus of the character described with novel structural characteristics that render it highly efficient in use, inexpensive to manufacture and use, simple to operate and one which includes novel means to prevent the application of dressing to any surface not intended to receive such dressing.

The structure by means of which the above noted and other advantages and objects of the invention are attained will be described in the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings showing preferred illustrative embodiments of the invention, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a bowling lane, shown on a reduced scale;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view thereof, taken substantially on line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a cleaning and dressing applying apparatus embodying features of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the apparatus, showing the housing removed;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the left-hand end of the apparatus as viewed in FIG. 4, showing the gutter portion of the bowling lane in section;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of the right-hand end of the apparatus as viewed in FIG. 4, showing the gutter portion of the bowling lane in section;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 77 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a transverse sectional view of a portion of a lane dressing apparatus, showing a modified form of structure for the storage and application of dressing to the brush; and

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8, showing another modified structure.

Referring to the FIGS. 1 and 2 exemplary disclosures of a bowling lane, such lanes are constructed of wood having the requisite degrees of hardness to resist wear at points of ball and of pin impact and to assist friction engagement between the lane and ball during the major distance of its travel down the lane. For example, in the lane illustrated, the end portion A, which receives the impact of the ball dropped thereon by a player, and the end portion B, upon which the pins are spotted, are of hard wood, such as hard maple, whereas the intermediate portion C usually is constructed of soft pine. All surfaces are coated with lacquer and unless protected by suitable lane dressing, the lacquer tends to burn from frictional impact, to build up around points of ball impact and, not infrequently, the lacquer accumulates on a ball. In the areas where there is no ball impact, such as in the lane areas C, the ball must encounter suflicient frictional resistance to permit it to be controlled by the player. Obviously, the application of too much dressing anywhere along the length of the lane, as usually occurs when applied by spraying, will result in such dressing accumulating on the ball. Further, dressing applied by spraying accumulates in the gutters 12 on the sides of the lane and on the ball return tracks 13. This is objectionable not only from the standpoint of waste, but also because dressing is picked up by the ball and not only renders same adhesive and unmanageable, but enters the finger holes and impedes gripping and control.

The apparatus herein disclosed is designed to apply dressing uniformly on any smooth surface and particularly on the surface of a bowling lane. The apparatus is such that the lane surface is wiped clean prior to the applica- 3 tion of the lane dressing thereon which is brought to a halt automatically when the apparatus approaches the foul line.

Referring now to the exemplary embodiment of the bowling lane cleaner and dressing applicator shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, and particularly to the FIG 3 disclosure, the apparatus has the general shape of a substantially rectangular shallow body including a housing comprising a cover 15, removable end panels 16 and a handle generally indicated at 17. The housing 1516 is of a width substantially greater than the width of bowling lane 11 and it encloses a basic frame structure including upstanding end plates 18, suitably connected together rigidly as by means of a perimeter frame 19 connected to the lower margins thereof. The end plates 18 each have a bracket 21 secured firmly, as by welding, to one side edge thereof to provide a mounting for handle 17 which is pivotally connected thereto, as by bolts 22.

A pair of shafts 23, each carrying rollers 24, extend between end plates 18 and are journalled therein, one adjacent each side edge near the bottom edges thereof. The rollers 24 preferably are fabricated of suitable plastic material, such as nylon, and they constitute means to support the apparatus upon the surface of the lane while the apparatus is in use. As will be explained presently, one of the shafts 23 is power operated so as to be rotatably driven to drive its rollers 24 for advancing the apparatus along the lane while in use. Each end plate 18 also mounts, on its outside face, a rigid stub shaft 25 carrying a wheel 26 of -a diameter to dispose its lower perimeter below the surface of the lane 11 upon which the apparatus is being advanced. More particularly, these wheels 26 are outrigger wheels and they overhang gutters 12 and are ineffective when the apparatus is in use while cleaning and applying dressing to the lane. They function, however, as wheels to support the entire apparatus above a surface over which it is wheeled when not in service and, more important, they cooperate with the normal upward inclination 12a of gutters 12 (FIGS. -6) for a purpose to be explained presently.

With particular reference to FIGS. 4 and 7, the basic frame structure and particularly end plates 18 mounts a power driven surface cleaning assembly, generally indicated at 27, and a power driven lane dressing applicator assembly, generally indicated at 28. The surface cleaning assembly 2-7 is a self-contained unit arranged at the; forward or leading side of the apparatus (right-hand end as viewed in FIG. 7) and it includes a roll 29 of suitable disposable sheet material, preferably an unwoven soft cotton cloth, that is mounted on a shaft 31 having its ends journalled for free rotation one in each of a pair of mounting plates 32, one arranged on the inside face of each end plate 18. These mounting plates each carry a back plate 82a that has its side edges guided for vertical sliding beneath flanges 33 secured to or otherwise formed on said end plates. Each mounting back plate 32a has a boss 34 (FIG. 5) on its outwardly disposed face that projects freely through a guide slot 35 opening onto the top edge of the related edge plate 18. Bosses 34 constitute journals for a take-up shaft 36 bridging plates 32 and extending parallel to but spaced forwardly of shaft 31. Take-up shaft 36 projects outwardly of one end plate 15, as best shown in FIG. 6, and mounts firmly thereon a toothed wheel 37 which constitutes means for connecting said shaft wtih a power source operable for imparting step-by-step rotation to said take-up shaft.

Referring now to FIG. 7, the web 29a of roll 29 is carried downwardly and is trained around a cushioned roller 38, journalled at its ends in said mounting plates 82 and adjacent the lower edges thereof, and then upwardly around take-up shaft 36. A pair of springs 39 (one shown in FIG. 5) are bridged across bosses 34 so as to normally urge plates 32 and their shafts and rolls downwardly to maintain web 29a in surface contact with the surface of the bowling lane or other surface being treated. Maximum downward movement of said surface cleaning assembly is limited by abutment of bosses 34 with the bottom ends of the respective slots 35. It should be apparent that the entire surface cleaning assembly may be removed from the apparatus as a unit, upon disengaging springs "39 from bosses 34 and lifting the assembly out of the apparatus, thus facilitating replacement and threading of a new cloth around the rolls and shafts thereof.

In operation, insofar as the structure has been described, the apparatus is guided manually along the bowlin-g lane surface toward foul line 14 so as to advance the web of roll 29 across said surface for sweeping same and wiping up all foreign particles thereon, including previously applied dressings. At the same time, the web 29a is slowly advanced from the supply roll 29 to takeup shaft 36, so as to present a clean web surface to the lane surface being cleaned. The drive means to accomplish this will he described presently.

The power operated lane dressing applicator assembly 28 includes a tank 41 adapted to contain liquid dressing. The tank preferably extends between and is supported at its ends by the end plates 18 and has a vented filling opening 42 in its top wall. A downwardly inclined well 43 is formed in one side wall of said tank, having one or more ports 44 at its lower end to admit restricted quantities of liquid dressing thereinto. A wick 45 is mounted in said well and its upper margin projects beyond the related tank side wall so as to have wiping contact with a feed roll 46 journalled at its ends in end plates 18. One end of said roll extends outwardly beyond the related end plate and mounts firmly thereon a sprocket 47 (FIG. 5). An endless chain 48 is trained over said sprocket and over a sprocket 49 secured firmly on the end of a shaft 51 of an electric motor 52 arranged within the assembly and preferably supported on the top wall of tank 41 and operable to rotate the liquid dressing feed roll 46.

The other end of feed roll 46 projects through the other end plate 18 (FIG. 6) and mounts firmly thereon an eccentric pin 53 that extends through an aperture in one end of an arm 54, the other end of which is formed with a tooth 55 disposed for engagement with the teeth of wheel 37. A suitable guide strap 56 is provided for said arm 54 and a spring 57 functions to urge the tooth 55 into engagement with the toothed wheel 37 at all times. During operation of motor 52, and rotation of feed roll 46, the arm 54 is reciprocated so as to engage successive teeth in said wheel 37 for imparting stepby-step rotation to take-up shaiit 36 so as to advance the wiping cloth over roller 38 during machine operation. Reverse rotation of take-up shaft 36 is prevented by a springloaded pawl 60 engaged with toothed wheel 37. In order to prevent overrunning of the roll of cloth 29 suitable tension :blades 58 are mounted in spaced relation on the top wall of the tank 41 in a manner to bear frictionally against said roll at all times.

Also journalled in and extending between end plates '18 is a rotary brush 59, which has its shaft 61 extending outwardly through one of said plates and mounting a sprocket 62 (FIG. 6). An endless chain 63 is trained over said sprocket and over a sprocket 64 canried firmly on the end of a shaft 65 of an electric motor 66 (FIG. 4) firmly supported on said related end plate 18. A motor 67 is carried by the other side plate 18 and it has its driven shaft 68 extending outwardly through said plate and mounting firmly a sprocket 69 (-FIG. 5) having a drive connection through an endless chain 71 with a sprocket 72 carried firmly on the projecting end of one of the roller carrying shafts 23 for driving same. Both motors 66-67 are connected in a common electrical circuit having a switch 73 ('FIG. 3) preferably mounted on or adjacent to the hand :grip portion 17a of handle 17 so as to be under control of the operator at all times. With such common control, the brush 59 is driven at all times during driving operation of the rollers 24. However, because the relative diameters of rollers 24 and brush 59 and the illustrated differential of the drive connections, the brush will have greater surface speed than said rollers.

As best shown in FIG. 7, the rotary brush 59 is in surface contact at all times with feed roll 46 so as to receive lane dressing therefrom which is carried by said brush to and deposited uniformly on the surface of the lane.

In order to control the quantity of liquid dressing delivered to the rotary brush, the operating speed of feed roll 46 is controlled through adjustment of a rheostat 74 connected in the circuit to drive motor 52 and mounted on one of the end plates 18. As best shown in FIG. 5, the rheostat includes a manually adjustable lever 75 normally urged into an S or stop position by a tensioned spring 76 and which is connected to an operating member 77 that is extended along handle 17 and is connected with a hand grip 7 8 (FIG. 3) so as to render the rheostat adjustable whether by direct manual setting of lever 75 or by manpulation of hand :grip 78 during machine operation. The various positions of desired dressing application are indicated to the right of the stop position by L for slow speed of the brush and thereby a light application of dressing, by the M or medium position for a faster speed and greater dressing application, and by the H or heavy position for high speed and greatest application of dressing.

Although the wick 45 is shown as overlying a splash plate 81 on the upper end of Well 43, so as to receive any drippings from Ifeed roll 46 and to avoid any dripping or splashing on the adjacent vertical face of the well, said wick may extend in a substantially straight line, as indicated at 45a in FIG. 7, to bear against the upper rear surface of the feed roll.

In use, the apparatus is positioned at the far or pin setting end B of the bowling lane with its outrigger Wheels 26 overhanging gutters 12 so that it is supported on the bowling lane surface by rollers 24. The motors 66 and 67 are started whereupon the driven rollers 24 advance the apparatus (guided by the operator through the handle 17) toward foul line 14 at a predetermined uniform rate of speed while the rotory brush is being driven. During such advance, the lane dressing feed roll 46 is rotated at speeds determined by the setting of rheostat 74 and the Web 29a is intermittently advanced onto the take-up shaft 36 so as to present a continuous sequence of clean wiping surfaces to said lane, thus picking up all foreign matter and old dressing.

Dressing applied to the brush by feed roll 46 is applied in the form of a uniform thin layer onto the cleaned lane surface. When the apparatus approaches the foul line, the outrigger wheels 26 initially engage and then ride up the inclined ends 12a of the gutters. It should be noted that these wheels are located ahead of the rotating applicator brush 59. Consequently, when said wheels climb out of the gutters, the brush is raised out of contact with the lane surface and all application of lane dressing is thereby stopped. As this occurs ahead of the foul line, there never is any possibility of lane dressing being deposited on or within the area closely adjacent to said foul line, or on the side of .the foul line used by a bowler in an approach thereto, even though the operator may fail to stop the operation of the apparatus.

Referring now to the modified form of structure illustrated in exemplary form in 'FIG. 8, the liquid dressing tank 41 has been replaced with structure adapted for use with a dressing having the viscosity of a light grease. As shown, the dressing 82 is disposed in the valley formed between parallel contact rolls 83 and 84. Preferably, roll 84 is made of suitable plastic material, such as neoprene, so as to resist adherence of the lane dressing thereto, whereas the roll 83 is of suitable material, such as steel,

of a kind to which the lane dressing will adhere in the form of a fine film for deposit on the surface of the rotating brush 59.

The FIG. 9 disclosure is somewhat like the FIG. 8 disclosure, but here the roll 84 is replaced by a trough 85 for retaining a supply of heavy viscous dressing '82 for entrainment on the surface of roll 83 and ultimate application to rotary brush 59. The trough preferably is of neoprene and its roll contacting edge 85a functions as a squeegee for controlling the deposit of dressing on feed roll 83.

From the foregoing description it is believed that the nature of the invention and the manner in which it is to be carried out will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An apparatus for cleaning and dressing the surface of a bowling lane having -a foul line at one end and a gutter on each side thereof the bottom surface of which is inclined upwardly toward the surface of the lane in the region of said foul line, said apparatus comprising a frame structure including spaced end walls, shafts bridging said end walls, rollers on said shafts supporting said frame structure for movement .on the surface of said lane toward the foul line, drive means for at least some :of said rollers, a web of sheet material carried by said frame structure for wiping the lane surface over which the frame structure is moved, said sheet material being removable from said frame structure, a tank for fluid carried by said frame structure, a wick for receiving fluid from said tank, a rotatable brush contacting the lane surface for spreading the fluid onto the wiped lane surface, separate drive means for said brush, means in contact with the wick and brush for conveying fluid from the wick to said brush, separate drive means for said conveying means, and outrigger wheels on said frame structure overhanging said gutters and engageable with the inclined ends of said gutters for lifting the frame sufficiently to carry the brush out of contact with the lane surface.

2. An apparatus for cleaning and dressing the surface of a bowling lane having a foul line at one end and a gutter on each side thereof the bottom surface of which is inclined upwardly toward the surface of the lane in the region of said foul line, said apparatus comprising a frame structure, rollers supporting said frame structure for movement on the surface of said lane toward said foul line, drive means for at least some of said rollers, a web of sheet material carried by said frame structure for wiping the lane surface over which the frame structure is moved, said sheet material being removable from said frame structure, a tank for fluid carried by said frame structure, a Wick for receiving fluid fromsaid tank, a rotatable brush contacting the lane surface for spreading the fluid onto the wiped lane surface, drive means for said brush, means in contact with the wick and brush for conveying fluid from the wick to said brush, separate drive means for said conveying means, and means on said frame structure engageable with the inclined ends of the gutters for lifting the frame structure off the lane surface so as to carry the brush out of contact with said lane surface.

3. An apparatus for cleaning and dressing the surface of a bowling lane having a foul line at one end a gutter on each side thereof the bottom surface of which is inclined upwardly toward the surface of the lane in the region of said foul line, said apparatus comprising a frame structure, rollers supporting said frame structure for movement on the surface of said lane toward the foul line, drive means for at least some of said rollers, a roll of sheet material carried by said frame structure and having its web disposed for wiping the lane surface over which the frame structure is moved, means to advance said web step-by-step during operation of the apparatus, a tank for fluid carried by said frame structure, a wick for receiving fluid from said tank, abrush contacting the lane surface for spreading the fluid onto the wiped lane surface, means in contact with the wick and brush for conveying fluid from the wick to said lbrush, separate drive means for said conveying means, and means on said frame structure engageable with the inclined ends of the gutters for lifting the frame structure ofi the lane surface so as to carry the brush out of contact with said lane surface.

4. An apparatus for cleaning and dressing the surface of a bowling lane having a foul line at one end and a gutter on each side thereof, said apparatus comprising a frame structure, rollers supporting said frame structure for movement on the surface of said lane, drive means for at least some of said rollers, a Web of sheet material carlIiCd by said frame structure for wiping the lane surface over which the frame structure is moved, a supply source for lane dressing, a rotatable brush contacting the lane surface for spreading thejlane dressing onto the wiped lane surface, drive means for said brush, means in contact with the brush for conveying lane dressing from the supply source to said brush, separate drive means for conveying means, and means on said apparatus arranged to cooperate with the gutters for lifting the apparatus off the lane surface so as to carry the brush out of contact with said lane surface.

5. Apparatus for cleaning and dressing a floor surface comprising, in combination, a frame structure, a disposable web carried by said frame structure and arranged for wiping engagement with the floor surface over which the frame structure is moved, eccentric means to advance said web step-by-step during operation of the apparatus, a tank for fluid carried by said frame structure, capillary means mounted firmly in said tank and projecting out-wardly thereof for receiving fluid from said tank, a rotatable brush for spreading the fluid onto the floor surface over which the frame structure is being moved, and means in contact with said capillary means and brush for conveying fluid from said capillary means .to said brush.

6. Apparatus for cleaning and dressing a floor surface comprising, in combination, a frame structure, a roll of fabric carried in said frame structure having its Web trained over a back-up roll and disposed for wiping engagement with the floor surface, means to advance said Web step-by-step over said roll during operation of the apparatus, a tank for fluid carried by said frame structure, a wick for receiving fluid from said tank, a rotatable brush for spreading the fluid onto the floor surface over which the frame structure is being moved, and means in contact with the Wick and brush for conveying fluid from the Wick to said brush.

, 7. Apparatus for cleaning and dressing a floor surface comprising, in combination, a frame structure, a roll of fabric carried in said frame structure having its web trained over a back-up roll and disposed in wiping engagement with the floor surface, means to advance said web step-by-step over said roll duringoperation of the ap paratus, a tank for fluid carried by said frame structure, and a rotatable brush disposed to receive fluid from said tank and operable to spread the fluid onto the floor surface over which the apparatus is'moved.

8. Apparatus for cleaning and dressing a floor surface comprising, in combination, a frame structure, an auxiliary frame mounted in said frame structure, a roll of sheet material carried in said auxiliary frame, a back-up roll mounted in said auxiliary frame and over which the said sheet material is trained for Wiping engagement with the floor surface, means to advance said sheet material step-by-step over said roll during operation of the apparatus, a container for surface dressing material carried by said frame structure, and a rotatable brush disposed to receive surface dressing from said container and operable to spread said surface dressing onto the floor surface over which the apparatus is moved.

9. The apparatus recited in claim 8, in which the auxiliary frame and rolls are removable bodily from the frame structure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Ludwig et a1 July 10, 1962 

5. APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AND DRESSING A FLOOR SURFACE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A FRAME STRUCTURE, A DISPOSABLE WEB CARRIED BY SAID FRAME STRUCTURE AND ARRANGED FOR WIPING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE FLOOR SURFACE OVER WHICH THE FRAME STRUCTURE IS MOVED, ECCENTRIC MEANS TO ADVANCE SAID WEB STEP-BY-STEP DURING OPERATION OF THE APPARATUS, A TANK FOR FLUID CARRIED BY SAID FRAME STRUCTURE, CAPILLARY MEANS MOUNTED FIRMLY IN SAID TANK AND PROJECTING OUTWARDLY THEREOF FOR RECEIVING FLUID FROM SAID TANK, A ROTATABLE BRUSH FOR SPREADING THE FLUID ONTO THE FLOOR SURFACE OVER WHICH THE FRAME STRUCTURE IS BEING MOVED, AND MEANS IN CONTACT WITH SAID CAPILLARY MEANS AND BRUSH FOR CONVEYING FLUID FROM SAID CAPILLARY MEANS TO SAID BRUSH. 